Kiev Is Burning

[Stuart Galbraith]

It was the quickest one I could find that was talking about the legislation. But if you want chapter and verse on it, why not listen to 'The Eastern Border' before you classically go off on one? He cites Russian social media sources (pro war incidentally) whom are talking about this in near apocalyptic terms.

https://theeasternborder.lv/podcast/war-in-ukraine-episode-227/

However you define it, they are now denying their own people equipment they need to use in the combat zone. Will will either result in Servicemen breaking their own laws to survive, which is probably going to raise a few questions in some peoples minds about the relevance of Russia's laws. Or, they are going to start arresting people for having the equipment they need to stay alive. Imagine banning body armour because its potentially subversive? Yes, its that dumb.

 

[Roman Alymov]

55 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Russia has passed a law banning smart phones from the front lines. Ostensibly its to stop anyone sharing 'negative' commentary on the war. Unfortunately, its not been realized the importance of them for all kinds of units. Im told that even Russian mortar units have them with an ap to make calculating  fire control solutions easier. oops. Soldiers are jumping up and down, castigating the duma for their stupidity.

https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-duma-adopts-law-on-punishment-for-soldiers-using-gadgets-on-the-frontline/

Typical Western media news report (at least, when concerning events in Russia): both late and incompetent.  There is no way to "ban" smart phones from the front lines - as they were never allowed (see my old comments about "FSB phones") not only in frontline but everywhere in Army. Our legislatives, with support of okd retired Generals who are now MPs, attempted to regulate punishment for smartphones use (since, as it is usually done, nobody is taking care of what is banned). The regiulation that listed smartphone use among other misconducts punushed by 10 days of arrest was passed - but the wave of public anger was such that almost the next day it was dropped and changed to softer form (de-facto returning to usual Russian situation of "Yes it is forbiden, but we do not care")

Note the sates

"The State Duma has corrected the law on smartphones in its zone
Only those fighters who use a mobile phone for personal purposes will be arrested
Topic: The Plenary session of the State Duma on July 31, 2024
31.07.2024 16:00

Author: Nikolai Kozin

Draft law: No. 289614-8

For using smartphones and tablets with Internet access in the area of SVO, commanders will be able to send military personnel under arrest for up to ten days — but only if this very use was not required to perform combat missions. The relevant bill was adopted by the State Duma on Wednesday, July 31, in the second and third readings. How the new system will work and how the dispute about whether gadgets are put on the front of the military or not was resolved, " says the Parliamentary Newspaper.

"The task is to improve discipline"
Recall that the bill was submitted to the State Duma for consideration in February of this year. It lists a list of offenses for which a serviceman can be sentenced to disciplinary arrest for up to ten days. For example, they proposed to include awol, evasion of military service duties, violation of the rules of combat duty, patrolling in the garrison, intentional destruction or damage to military property, violation of the rules for handling secret documents, weapons, ammunition, equipment, and so on. As the authors of the initiative themselves explained, the need for such regulations arose due to the fact that "during the period of mobilization, the operation of martial law and in wartime, the issue of strict observance by military personnel of military discipline becomes particularly relevant."

"Currently, the garrison military courts are located at a considerable distance from the locations of troops (forces) involved in combat operations. In this regard, a violator of military discipline, whom the commander of a military unit decided to bring to justice in the form of disciplinary arrest, must either be brought to court, which significantly increases the time for disciplinary punishment, will require distraction from performing combat tasks of other military personnel for escort purposes, will entail the cost of material resources, or will remain unpunished, which encourages new violations of discipline," the explanatory note said. "This state of affairs is unacceptable, especially in wartime, when strict observance of military discipline is one of the main guarantees of successful completion of a combat mission." 

During the review process, the bill was changed and improved. In particular, at one stage, the same amendment arose, which caused a great resonance among politicians, experts, as well as direct participants in the SVO — it was suggested that the use of gadgets: mobile phones and tablets with Internet access should also be attributed to gross disciplinary offenses for which arrest is required.

So, a State Duma deputy and the head of the Donbass Volunteer Union Alexander Borodai, in an interview with the Parliamentary Gazette, said that it is absolutely impossible to ban phones and tablets in the zone of their own, including on the front line.

"Time goes on, people adapt to the situation, people develop some strict rules that allow them to live and work in it," the parliamentarian stressed. — The same applies to the use of phones and tablets. So, for example, if there is a possibility of interception, then the information on them is transmitted such that at the time of interception and decryption it will no longer be relevant. There is a rule according to which phones and tablets are kept off most of the time. These rules are mostly written in blood, and they work."

At the discretion of the commanders
Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense Andrey Kartapolov, in turn, explained that, of course, they will not ban everything for everyone and for every phone in the hands of a serviceman to send him under arrest for ten days.

"We are talking about the prohibition of personal use," the parliamentarian noted. — That is, if a serviceman takes pictures of something on his phone, texts with someone, calls someone, that is, commits actions that are not significant for service or combat mission and can potentially endanger himself and his colleagues, he will be disciplined."

As a result, they decided to return the bill for revision. It has a new amendment allowing the use of smartphones for combat work. The twentieth paragraph, which establishes a ban on gadgets, was supplemented with a note: "This provision does not apply to military personnel and persons equated to them if these electronic products are used by them to perform their duties in accordance with the procedure established by regulatory legal acts of federal executive authorities or federal state bodies in which federal law provides for military service."

At the same time, it will be up to the commanders to decide whether a fighter really needs a smartphone at the moment when performing this task, or whether it can be dispensed with. Thus, the system is as flexible as possible.

"We made this decision taking into account the opinion of the Ministry of Defense, the expert community and deputies of the State Duma," Andrei Kartapolov stressed during the plenary session.

As a result, the bill was passed in the second and third readings." ( Госдума исправила закон о смартфонах в зоне СВО - Парламентская газета (pnp.ru))

[Stuart Galbraith]

I tell you what, lets stick a pin in that now. We can come back to it if they start firing squads for people using Smart Aps for drone use are classified as 'personal use', which you know full well with the way bureaucracy works in your Army, is quite possibly  what is going to happen.

[Roman Alymov]

19 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Imagine banning body armour because its potentially subversive? Yes, its that dumb.

No need for imagination: some commanders in 2022 were trying to ban the use of body armor and helmets bought by soldiers themselves or provided by civil society crowdfinding, insisting only standard Army-issued things are to be used. The same with uniforms etc/

    From time to time this or that commander is trying to ban weapons tuning, esxtra sights, handles etc. Old peace-time Russian Army as it was created in 1991 is dying, but not loosing its grip without fight. But there is no way back - as i heard, in frontline units no single pre-war Leutennant is left onplatoon command, all are up or out, replaced by "wartime promoted", volunteers or mobilized. One day they will become Colonels and Generals....

[Stuart Galbraith]

3 minutes ago, Roman Alymov said:

No need for imagination: some commanders in 2022 were trying to ban the use of body armor and helmets bought by soldiers themselves or provided by civil society crowdfinding, insisting only standard Army-issued things are to be used. The same with uniforms etc/

    From time to time this or that commander is trying to ban weapons tuning, esxtra sights, handles etc. Old peace-time Russian Army as it was created in 1991 is dying, but not loosing its grip without fight. But there is no way back - as i heard, in frontline units no single pre-war Leutennant is left onplatoon command, all are up or out, replaced by "wartime promoted", volunteers or mobilized. One day they will become Colonels and Generals....

Yes, im afraid im not surprised to hear this.

Are there any figures for how many officers have been outright dismissed for incompetence? Because if there is a way out of this militarily for Russia, its only be removing all the dead wood, the peacetime bullshitters, that will have the slightest chance. That and a desire by the high command to actually listen to whats possible.

[Roman Alymov]

5 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

I tell you what, lets stick a pin in that now. We can come back to it if they start firing squads for people using Smart Aps for drone use are classified as 'personal use', which you know full well with the way bureaucracy works in your Army, is quite possibly  what is going to happen.

  Let's wait and see. In Russian Army as it is now smartphones and tablets are key combat tools (especially in artillery). Even pilots are taking smartphones to combat sorties - see this example of guy who have filmed his plane going down right after bailing out

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/29690158/russian-pilot-shot-down-ukraine-sukhoi-jet/?_ga=2.66876013.231984673.1722866710-1327884018.1673308488

 

By the way the text from Fighterbomber on "bans"

"The "offtop" category.

I came to my favorite lake yesterday, there was no one around, the water was 22, it was 20 outside and cloudy, so no one, well, I'm going to dive.
But my legs won't go.
It's strange, the water is about a meter away, wet, clean, tested. But no. They're not coming.
I walked along the shore, took off my slippers, put them on, and went back into the water.
No, it's not letting something in. Just like a wall. He pulls it back.
And then I realized! 

Every year in the workers' and peasants' army of Laos, absolutely every new chief came up with some new prohibitions for a serviceman. Moreover, fuck him, he flowed like a cuckoo, spreading his madness only to the troops entrusted to him, but no. In vain attempts to prove that he was still capable, he threw all his efforts at proving and justifying these prohibitions to other people.
Yes, in most cases there were prerequisites for these prohibitions. They are like children in the military. They try their best to either kill themselves or injure themselves. At best, he'll fuck up and go driving drunk at the wheel of a tank.
And everyone on the planet knows that only an order can save you from injury and mutilation, and indeed from everything. Well, or a telegram about the prohibition of injuries in the unit. And the higher she was sent from the higher headquarters, the more miraculous she has. More powerful than an order is only an order with the signature of the serviceman personally in the log of checking the logs about bringing this order to him personally. If it is reinforced by the obligation of the military, sealed with blood that he is ready to put his ass that he will not be injured, then in general the tower. 

But it's not. The military breaks their cocks, arms, legs anyway, allows others to commit accidents against themselves, drowns, fumes and revels to death with some kind of stick. On duty, on the way to or from it, or even on vacation.

And this means that the commander is bad, he does not do anti-traumatic work in the unit well, causes financial damage to the country (because he has to pay insurance) and a thematic ban is immediately introduced. First, of course, reprimands, and then a ban. The standard "ban" plan is when a military Kamaz turned over in Vladivostok - in Kaliningrad they hand over the keys to their personal cars.

Here is a list of prohibitions that were imposed on me during the period of service:

- prohibition on leaving the garrison 
- prohibition of leaving the territory of the unit
- prohibition to drive faster than 40km/h
- prohibition of the use of personal vehicles in general, completely and partially
- prohibition of the use of personal transport by family members.
- prohibition of owning and riding motorcycles, (quadriceps, snowmobiles) 
- prohibition of picking mushrooms and berries 
- a ban on cycling, skating, and downhill skiing.
- a ban on playing football, hockey, volleyball, which has transformed into a ban on playing "traumatic sports"
- prohibition of drying clothes
- ban on kettles, refrigerators, and microwaves
- the ban on single swiming 
- the ban on bathing in general
- a ban on staying somewhere other than hotels 
- prohibition of self-murder during working hours, especially with the use of service weapons
- a ban on staying somewhere other than MoD hotels
- prohibition of walking in the dark
- ban on skydiving except mandatory
- ban on fishing 
- ban on hunting
- prohibition of USN in personal, free time

Some of these prohibitions were temporary, some permanent, some were controlled in the most severe way, some were on the loose. 
But almost all the prohibitions, everyone always put a dick on. 
The very first and immediately put a dick on them were those who introduced these prohibitions themselves. This is neither good nor bad, it is a given. 
As they say, the imperfection of prohibitions is compensated by the non-necessity of their execution.

Once every six months, at the next summing up, military personnel are shown slides in a cozy club, one of which was a slide with tramatism, where every military man could receive documentary evidence that no ban, anywhere, worked. But since we have two accidents and three broken dicks, and the ensign shot himself in another unit, we're good. On the planes,  officers!

Anyway, I remembered that I was already retired, I could already swim alone and the barrier fell. 
But when he came home, of course put the signature into logbook". ( https://t.me/fighter_bomber/17607 )

[glenn239]

12 hours ago, Josh said:

Stuart, get real. An entire military does not go stupid just because its political leader does. The U.S. has suffered Trump and Biden; no one is suggesting Russian submarines can steam up the Potomac as a result.

Recently had the chance to talk to a kid just graduating from US Army basic Ranger training.  Sounded to me from the conversation like the core doctrine and principles on how to train a Ranger remain intact.

[Roman Alymov]

15 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Yes, im afraid im not surprised to hear this.

Are there any figures for how many officers have been outright dismissed for incompetence? Because if there is a way out of this militarily for Russia, its only be removing all the dead wood, the peacetime bullshitters, that will have the slightest chance. That and a desire by the high command to actually listen to whats possible.

I do not have statistics, but af far as i remember according to Arestovich at least 60 high-ranked Russian Army officers, including 6 Army-level commanders are under investigation or allready jailed (and he is constantly complaining there is no such practice in UkrArmy, as result perormance of UkrArmy command now is worse then it was in 2022).

[JWB]

 

[Roman Alymov]

6 minutes ago, JWB said:

 

See my message on the same page two hours ago

[Roman Alymov]

Spectacular video of pro-Ukr BUK TEL that was forward deployed by pro-Ukrainians to provide AA cover for their attempt to storm into Kursk region across old border. Note the vehicle was still able to drive after being in the centre of Iskander cluster warhead strike that caused missile(s) launch, and was finished later in tree cover https://t.me/infomil_live/8701

P.S. Location https://t.me/creamy_caprice/6268

Edited August 6, 2024 by Roman Alymov

[Roman Alymov]

Column of at least 7 M1256 ICV Stryker vehicles trying to cross into Kursk region from Sumy region, filmed by pro-Rus drone https://t.me/infomil_live/8694

[Roman Alymov]

Pro-Ukr video of lonely M1 Abrams in action in infantry SPG role https://t.me/infomil_live/8696

[Roman Alymov]

Destruction of Bogdana wheeled SPG in good cover dug into railway embankment   https://t.me/boris_rozhin/132541

P.S. Location https://t.me/creamy_caprice/6266

Edited August 6, 2024 by Roman Alymov

[RETAC21]

Despite Roman's narrative, Ukrainians have decided that it's better to lose the war:

 

[Roman Alymov]

3 minutes ago, RETAC21 said:

Despite Roman's narrative, Ukrainians have decided that it's better to lose the war:

 

    That is just the opinion of retired UkrArmy officer  - but here is another opinion from UkrGov leaks TG channel

"Our source in the General Staff reported that the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Kursk region was organized as a distraction to prepare a counteroffensive on the Zaporizhia NPP. The second stage will be a strike on Russian positions in the Belgorod direction in order to force the enemy to transfer reserves to hold positions and only then will the main offensive operation follow." ( https://t.me/rezident_ua/23764 )

[Roman Alymov]

About 5 UkrArmy MRAPs and IFVs abandoned about 5 km inside "old Russia" in Kursk/Sumy area https://t.me/milinfolive/127720

[RETAC21]

1 minute ago, Roman Alymov said:

    That is just the opinion of retired UkrArmy officer  - but here is another opinion from UkrGov leaks TG channel

"Our source in the General Staff reported that the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Kursk region was organized as a distraction to prepare a counteroffensive on the Zaporizhia NPP. The second stage will be a strike on Russian positions in the Belgorod direction in order to force the enemy to transfer reserves to hold positions and only then will the main offensive operation follow." ( https://t.me/rezident_ua/23764 )

They sent a single battalion... Operation Citadelle it ain't

[Roman Alymov]

Just now, RETAC21 said:

They sent a single battalion... Operation Citadelle it ain't

This war is fought by tiny numbers of forces. "Human wave" of four or six stormtroopers on two-three motorbikes attacking "ai stronghold" guarded by 4-5 men is a norm. In this situation full blooded battalion attacking across the borderline that is not even marked is overkill and is guaranteed to have deep intrusion.

[crazyinsane105]

20 minutes ago, RETAC21 said:

Despite Roman's narrative, Ukrainians have decided that it's better to lose the war:

 

This screams lack of competence from the Ukrainian side. My guess is way too many competent commanders have either been killed, wounded, or kicked out for political reasons, leaving behind a cadre of inept individuals calling the shots

[seahawk]

If you fight to please the political leadership.

[Roman Alymov]

10 minutes ago, crazyinsane105 said:

This screams lack of competence from the Ukrainian side. My guess is way too many competent commanders have either been killed, wounded, or kicked out for political reasons, leaving behind a cadre of inept individuals calling the shots

Well, some pro-Ukr experts do think like this (see my earlier semi-quote from Arestovich)

But we can't know for sure, as we do not know how many reserves both sides have. THere is a strong suspicion pro-Ukrainians have saved a lot of fresh units deep in the rear.

[Roman Alymov]

Meanwhile pro-Rus 9th motor rifle brigade (AKA "Somali" brigade once commanded by "Givi") have captured western part of New Yourk (settlement in Donetsk republic). Note the school building on the video is almost intact, despite of the claims that "Russians are only able to blast their way by guided bombs"

https://t.me/SolovievLive/272654

location https://t.me/infomil_live/8708

https://t.me/creamy_caprice/6269

Edited August 6, 2024 by Roman Alymov

[Stuart Galbraith]

 

[Roman Alymov]

4 hours ago, RETAC21 said:

They sent a single battalion... Operation Citadelle it ain't

P.S. Re "They sent a single battalion": pro-Russian sources are reporting 6 pro-Ukr Brigades taking part, with lots of heavy armor.